Stay is a command that is useful in many situations — introducing your dog to new people, keeping your dog away from spilled food, and more.
This can be a difficult command for young dogs; puppies often have a very short attention span and are easily distracted! Be patient with your dog and stick with positive reinforcement.
If you’ll be using food rewards (most dogs really like food rewards) it might be a good idea to practice your tricks before mealtime — your dog will be hungry and more likely to pay close attention to you and the treats.
Here’s one way to teach your dog how to stay:
- Have your dog sit or lie down in front of you.
- Give your STAY command, combined with a hand signal if you choose. I use an open hand, palm up (a “Stop in the Name of Love” kind of maneuver) and say STAY at the same time.
- Try backing away from your dog. Give the STAY command and gesture again as you do it.
- As soon as your dog exhibits the behavior you want — staying in place — give praise.
- Give the release command — say “okay” or “go ahead” or whatever you’ve chosen. Give more praise and treats.
As you practice, you can extend the amount of time your dog remains in the STAY position. You can also move farther away. Take it one little bit at a time. Stay in the same room with your dog until you are certain your dog understands the STAY command.
Don’t forget to give the release command after every successful STAY.
I wish Moose had known this command when I first brought him home. Back in those days, he was always trying to make a break from the house or the yard. It made it very difficult to leave for work in the morning — Moose was always trying to sneak out behind me! I had to resort to throwing a handful of biscuits into the living room and running out the door while he was distracted.
It would have been nice if he had known how to stay back then!